Unlocking Inner Desires
by nekonomiko
Summary: Waffy romantic series involving Aoshi and Misao with a touch of lime... Don't kill me for any OOCness *cringes*


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Unlocking Inner Desires  
~One of Neko_no_miko's creative productions~  
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Book One:  
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Shinomori Aoshi was at his usual position whilst in deep meditation. A trickle of raindrop left from yesterday night'   
downpour joined its fellow brothers in their final rest at the tiny puddle located at the corner of the threshold. A   
drop of sweat followed the sharp contours of his face to descend at the cliff of his sharp nose. The clear liquid clung  
to his tanned skin and lingered for a few precious seconds before gravity pull won over. The stifling heat and dark   
surrounding with the exception of the candlelight hardly affect the stoic man. The silence dragged on yet the   
ex-okashiira did not take note of anything else but the solitude he voluntary puts himself in.  
  
Beyond a few flights of stairs away, Makimachi Misao skipped her way towards to temple where her beloved leader, brother,  
admired idol and not without a dark flush on her cheeks, the destined love of her life. Holding in her pair of slim, some  
said skinny hands, were a basket of tea-making set and a packet of dango (Japanese sweets) swinging to the rhythm of  
her carefree walk. Okina, otherwise known as Nenji in many years back, cheekily winked and made a comment on how ungrateful  
his "pretty and lovely" Misao was when she only thought of her Aoshi-sama and never her "pitiful jiiya". Tongue sticking out  
and tossing her braid over the ninja outfitted shoulder, the genki sixteen year old snorted rudely at how an ancient lecher  
would need sweets when his teeth were falling out. Okina spluttered in protest at how he was not that old and had most of   
his teeth still intact but Misao had already paced her jog to a run and were out of earshot by then. Okina had no other  
choice but to pester the other younger girls in the near vicinity, causing Omasu to groan attempt to drag him away from the   
terrified female customers.  
  
Stopping at the entrance of the temple, Misao made a quick prayer to the God above and slid the door open to reveal the   
inner furnishings of the temple. Squinting her huge blue eyes to mere slits, she located the room to Aoshi-sama's usual   
room and cheerfully announced her arrival.   
  
"Aoshi-sama? Misao desu. I've brought your tea and some dango to go along with." Misao sat in a cross-legged position near  
the well-ventilated window and prepared the piping hot tea. Aoshi simply remained seated at the centre of the room, just as   
he always did.  
  
Aoshi's ears picked up the soft rushing of tea swishing in the porcelain cups and could hear every fidgeting move from  
over-active girl in the corner of the meditation room. Concentration broken, he settled into a state of quiet observation   
as his charge poured out two cups of tea.   
  
"Hai. Aoshi-sama." Misao smiled brightly and went over to hand him the hot cup of tea. Reaching out to take of the hot   
beverage, Aoshi nodded his thanks and sipped, enjoying the warmth of the drink and the warmth of Misao's bubbly presence.   
  
"Aoshi-sama, do you want some?" Startled out of the silence although he showed not even the slightest trace of such   
expression, Aoshi opened his ice blue eyes to see Misao offering him the unwrapped package of sugary green dough with   
sweet bean paste in the middle. (A.N. I know, anyone feels as hungry as I do? ;-) )  
  
Shaking his head, he mumbled how he had no appetite and Misao pouted in her usual child-like indignant.   
  
"Mou, to think that others told me how skinny am I and wanted me to put on weight. Without avail of course. And look  
Aoshi-sama, you hardly eat and no one forced you to gain weight. I shall have to act as your diet supervisor if this   
goes on."   
  
He lifted up his dark eyebrow and only said, "Finish your food and tea. Leave when you're done."  
  
Misao nearly reeled back in hurt and disappointment. Tears held back threatened to fall as she swallowed the last few   
bites of the dessert. With a faint stumble while she tried to get up, she cleared the utensils quickly as she hoped to   
leave as soon as possible before darned tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.   
  
"Gomen nasai." Misao apologised with a squeak, giving away the fact that she was about to cry her heart out. The   
strangling pressure that tends to squeeze his heart increased. It seemed that the insufferable organ only reacted when   
the young girl is concerned. Aoshi's fists tightened as he rushed out of the old building.   
  
He was tempted to leave the state of matters at that but the loud thunder amended his intentions. Misao will probably be   
dashing aimlessly in the rain and the others in Aoiya will blame him if she did not came back in time. He sighed in  
resignation and stood up as he took an umbrella leaning against the doorway of the temple. (A.N. Hey, there will be no   
sweet romance if the famous couple did not share. Agree? Besides, it's my fic. Hohohoho. *Winks*)  
  
Rain falls upon Misao like silver needles of cold. The drenching of her skin did not register as she run on the streets.  
She ran and ran, hoping to leave the endless blows from Aoshi's cruel words behind.   
  
It was quite some time before she realised someone was following her. All of the sudden, the running was no longer trying   
to escape from the crushing feelings coming from within her heart but rather the pursuer at the back. Misao's attention  
focused on the person behind her back as she felt for her kunai. 'No oniwabanshu member is going down without a fight.'  
  
Spinning around, Misao aimed her weapons to the pursuer but was shocked to see her attack absorbed with ease of a highly   
skilled opponent. The rain was too heavy to make out the face of her enemy but she was ready to dished out her very best.  
  
"Come on, you coward. A fight till death!" Misao yelled to the approximate position of the follower.  
  
"I'm glad you are willing to fight for honour until death. However, you have to disappointed until the next time." Aoshi  
stepped into to visible line of vision as he returned the kunai back to the owner with a flick of his wrist. Misao   
plucked the sharp weapons from the air with ease as she almost wished for an attacker instead.  
  
Aoshi gave her the umbrella and stepped into the rain itself. "Take the umbrella and hurry back to Aoiya."   
  
Misao timidly took the proffered umbrella and asked, "What about you?"  
  
Rain was beginning to soak Aoshi and his raven hair dripped with endless drops of water. "I'll be fine."   
  
Misao shook her head and stood on tiptoes to cover him as much as she could.   
  
Aoshi was inwardly touched by the kind gesture. He took the umbrella and just as Misao was about to withdraw from   
the covering, he gently tugged her back. "We'll share."  
  
Misao looked at him in a wondering manner, confused about how he could seem so distant in one minute and yet be so  
considerate in another. "Arigato."  
  
On the way to Aoiya, both of them were awkward with the earlier incident back at the temple. Aoshi decided to take the   
initiative to break the ice.  
  
"Sumanu. I was too harsh with you back there."  
  
Misao was surprised at the first step taken by him. "No. I was getting to be too much of a nuisance. It was not like   
Aoshi-sama asked for my company in the first place."  
  
Uncomfortable silence settles over yet again. Misao searched in her mind for anything to be a suitable peace offering and  
lamely lifted up the soaked packet of dango. "Want some?"   
  
Aoshi regarded her and the sweet confectionary for quite some time when Misao remembered one very important detail. The   
packet of desserts have longed been drenched in the rain. Embarrassed, she started to draw back the sugary stuff.   
  
"Gomen. I forgot that the rain made it wet. Let's throw them away instead." Misao was about to toss the ruined sweets away  
when Aoshi stopped her.   
  
"It's okay. He signalled Misao to untied the package and Misao winced as she untied the parcel. She lifted up the flaps of   
brown paper and was mentally glad for the protection of wax paper lining inside that prevented rinsing of sugary flour.  
  
Without hesitation, Misao took a piece and took a bite. 'Yup, still taste as good.' Her tongue innocently licked at the  
flour on corner of her mouth. Aoshi felt the strangest tightening of his insides at this action.  
  
Aoshi cleared his throat as Misao blushed. "Eeto, does Aoshi-sama want one?" She lifted the last piece of dango lying   
on the brown paper.  
  
A corner of Aoshi's lips lifted unnoticeably. "No, we'll share."   
  
Misao's blue eyes widened as he took of her hand and guided the dango to his mouth. To her utter fascination, he bit at the   
exact spot where she had taken a bite. The icy coolness thawed out and an unexplained warmth forming in his eyes made   
Misao looked away. She felt her cheeks and found that they were hot to the touch.   
  
The rain stopped at last and Misao quickly stepped away from the intimate atmosphere under the umbrella. She pasted on a   
stunning grin to cover her mixed feelings at the discovery and skipped towards the Aoiya as the safety of home beckons  
to her.   
  
"Aoshi-sama. You'll be returning to the temple, ne? Well, I need to help out at the restaurant and I'll see you around.   
Ja ne!" Misao started to talk incessantly and dashed back to the building as if at hoards of hell were after her.  
  
Aoshi would have chuckled at the panicked state of Misao had he been a normal man but he had only turned back to the way of   
the temple.   
  
How odd indeed the way he acted under the umbrella with Misao moments ago under the umbrella. He would have to figure out   
what he had done to let Misao panicked that much.'  
  
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Author's remarks:  
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*Coughs* This is my first attempts of how Aoshi discovered his feelings for Misao without my usual load of angst. I know  
that I write so slowly but really, inspiration comes less frequently for me as relative to the rest of you all talent bunch  
out there. Anyway, I love you!!! *Hugs* Gimme any comments if I should continue with the story. ^-*;;  
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